DeathKitchen

IRIS Wiki - IS Systems - DeathKitchen

Availability

DeathKitchen is an IS system which was developed as a research prototype. It is not available for download.

Technical Description

This system describes a method supporting the AI-based simulation of object behaviour, so that interactive narrative can feature the physical environment inhabited by the player character as an “actor”. The prototype has been developed on top of the Unreal Tournament game engine and relies on a “causal engine”, which essentially bypasses the native Physics engine to generate alternative consequences to player interventions. It operates using a small depth-bound planning system which determines the most appropriate object behaviours following player interaction. The prototype is illustrated through a test application called “Death Kitchen”, freely inspired from various thriller and horror films, in which the kitchen is plotting against the player character to generate domestic accidents. DeathKitchen is fully integrated with a 3D real-time visualisation engine, using the UT2003 game engine.

Result Description (end user perspective)

A video of a typical example of an emerging narrative can be viewed here

Authoring Description

No authoring tool or approach is provided in details. The main principles are in the definition of the processes assigned to the objects.

Strong Points

• User interactions and reactive behaviours generated for the objects by the planning system.
• Causal chaining of events based on objects behaviours.

Limitations

Authoring of objects behaviours can be complex.

Main Publications

• Lugrin, J-L. and Cavazza, M. (2006). AI-based World Behaviour for Emergent Narratives. ACM SIGCHI International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology, ACE 2006, Hollywood, California, USA, June. [1]

Supporting Narrative Theories

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Computational Model

Planning tools and techniques

Type of interaction

Physical intervention of the user within the virtual environment via its avatar.